A Casper man pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of sexual abuse of a minor during his arraignment in Natrona County District Court on Thursday.

Feliciano Quiroz, 60, entered the pleas before District Court Judge Catherine Wilking after she read the charges against him.

He was accompanied by his Public Defender Joseph Cole.

If convicted on all counts, Quiroz's sentence could be as much as 200 years imprisonment.

Wilking read each count and the possible punishments. They fell into three categories:

  • Two counts of first-degree sexual abuse (sexual intrusion) of a minor; each count punishable by between 25 years and 50 years imprisonment.
  • Four counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor; each count punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment.
  • Four counts of immodest, indecent or immoral liberties with a minor. (This crime is included in third-degree sexual abuse of a minor. It is unclear how these counts were different from third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.) Each count is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment

Wilking identified the alleged victims only by their initials. While six were identified by initials, she did not specify if alleged victims with the same initials were one or more persons.

According to the affidavit accompanying the charging documents, aome alleged victims were less than 11 years old, and Quiroz began molesting one who was 5 years old.

Most of the alleged victims were boys, but the affidavit accompanying the charging documents recounted Quiroz's alleged molestation of a 7-year-old girl.

Some of the alleged incidents occurred at a ranch in Montana, in Casper and in Mills, according to the affidavit.

The alleged crimes commenced in 1980 and would continue for two years to seven years depending on the victim. The most recent alleged crimes occurred in 2019, according to the affidavit.

During Quiroz's initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court on Aug. 22, Judge Michael Patchen set his bond at $1 million cash-only.

During the preliminary hearing when Quiroz was bound over for trial, his bond was reduced to $100,000 cash or surety.

Quiroz has been out on bond since then.

At the end of the hearing, Wilking told Assistant District Attorney and Public Defender Joseph Cole that she would review the case and set a scheduling hearing that would include setting a trial date.

 

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